I have just come across the original dismantling pics and uploaded them to Flickr...those of a nervous disposition should look away now. The horror....the horror....! Ducati 916 rebuild | Flickr
Nice job and well presented. I am new to this forum and if that is the quality of information offered, I will use it a lot!. As a matter of interest, which of the factory tools are ESSENTIAL for engine rebuild of a 998R as opposed to "nice to have"?
Sorry I can't help - that bike has a Testastretta engine and I've only worked on the earlier Desmoquattro motors.
Leak location:- Well - it was simpler than I thought. There's a small o-ring at the cylinder base joint, to blank off an unused oilway (only used on 900SS, which shares the same cases, I think?). I'd fitted the o-ring on the left, instead of the green one from the gasket set...goodness knows why.
Nice job DesmoEddy! What paint did you use on the cases as I have a similar job starting shortly on a 998R. Also who did you use for the plating? Thanks in advance.
Paint was just some heat-resistant silver from a local motoring shop, and the plating was done in Lancaster, at The Bronze Company. I took them a tub of fasteners which I'd de-greased and wirebrushed, so they were easy for the guys to deal with. I'm not going to ride it in wet / salty conditions, so wasn't too fussed about the paint.
I did the same and found out the hard way. The old gaskets were 0.4mm base with a thick paper head gasket where the new gasket set uses a 1mm base and thinner metal head gasket. If you fit the thinner (old style) 'O' ring then oil leaks, which is a real shitter because you have to take it all off to change the 'O' ring. Best solution is to tap a thread into the oil feed hole in the case and loctite a grubscrew in there whilst it's apart because it's just a potential leak waiting to happen and, as you say the feed is only used on SS/Monster engines.
That's exactly the situation - this is an older (1996) bike which originally used thick head and thin base gaskets, and during the rebuild I've fitted the new-style gaskets, but omitted to use the later O-ring. No matter - it all came apart easily enough because it's just been rebuilt and nothing has seized together. I welded together a 15mm ring spanner and a 1/2" socket to make a copy of the early-style head nut tool, and I'm just torquing the heads now. Only the injection, exhausts, airbox and tank to go....and that's just two large jubilee clips, some springs and half-a-dozen flange head screws. I love the way these bikes are designed to come apart (and go back together!) quickly and easily.
Done. 21 years to the month since I bought this bike from Frontiers, and 10 years since I took it apart and put into boxes. MOT this week!
Lovely job! Frontiers Merton? Which is where I got mine from new in 1998 ... Just need to find someone to make it look like yours!
